Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold Has Two Sho Minazukis

In addition to Yukari and Junpei from Persona 3, Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold has a new character. Well, technically *two* new characters. There are two versions Sho Minazuki, a red-haired newcomer that wields two swords. One character is called "Sho Minazuki" written in kanji and another "Sho Minazuki" written in katakana. To make this less confusing we’ll call the Sho Minazuki with a katakana name "Sho" and the other one "Minazuki."

While Minazuki is in the arcade game, Sho is a time release character. You won’t be able to play as Sho until December 19. Arc System Works tried time release characters before with BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma.

Sho has Tsukiyomi as a persona and a different moveset. One of his attacks drains the other player’s HP and SP. His super move, Wings of Purgatory, shoots a giant wave in front of him. Persona 4: The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold is out in arcades now and coming to PlayStation 3 in summer 2014.

Does he have a shadow self? from what I know Malevolent Entity seems to be his second personality.

Raze

The one without persona is his shadow…
Maybe…

icecoffemix

SHIKI?

r0gamer940

this maybe from the hair but I think this character may have something to do with P5

Chiupon

Although, probably not. The japanese deity persona trend was in P4. For p5, the main characters are probably gonna get a whole new subset of personaes from different mythologies. Persona 2 had a lot of Greek, for example— and P3 had a variety but a lot were also Greek~

Steven Higgins

To add to that, the look is more like P4. P3’s Persona’s looked somewhat mechanical, while P4’s were more organic looking. P5’s will probably have different design elements as well.

Aesma

….after two different games (P4 and P4U) and one remake (P4G)… Tsukuyomi finally joins his father and siblings…
…what took Atlus so long? In the first place, why is it that in most games Atlus made, they have Amaterasu and Susanoo but no Tsukuyomi?

…well, on the topic, because Japanese sometimes use katakana as an emphasis, doesn’t that mean that this ‘Sho’ is the Shadow instead of ‘Minazuki’? But that means, the Shadow is the one with Persona?

Raze

Tsukuyomi actually already make an appearance in Persona…
Spin off tho…Persona X Det. Naoto…
Kurogami has it as his persona…

Aesma

That’s why I said ‘games’.

IS | 桂木

Tsukuyomi was in Persona 2 IS and EP

Aesma

Yeah, but, in Persona 3, 4. SMT IV (Nocturne too I think), Strange Journey, DeSu 1 and 2. There’s no Tsukuyomi, even though Amaterasu and Susanoo are in most of them…

I know that in some ‘old era’ Atlus games, Tsukuyomi is in. But I’m wondering why they decided to not put him in ‘newer’ games.

Same with Brahma. Why is Vishnu and Shiva in most game but not Brahma?

Kazuki S

It’s because in both Chinese and japanese mythology the Moon god/brother is unimportant, and typically gets overshadowed.

Aesma

True, I suppose… not many legend feature Tsukuyomi…

Suzaku

Worth pointing out that this Persona is specifically spelled out in katakana as Tsukiyomi (with an ‘i’) as opposed the Tsukuyomi, which was used for the one in the Naoto spinoff and the other older games.

Guest

How is this different from street fighter?

Warren

Street Fighter has alot of grown a** people without Personas, while Persona has high schoolers and young adults trying to save the world with Personas.

Mc-kun

As far as I know Street fighter doesn’t have Ryu summoning demons and deities, Ken isn’t in high school, and SF isn’t based on a role playing game.

Exalkin

You also dont have 5 different characters who fight nearly the same

하세요

Air dashes, son.

Servant BerserCAR

^this

colorblindnightmare

I’m going to play the slightly mean one here. Did you think or do any research before hand?

DoctorButler

Street Fighter has depth.

urbanscholar

When I play with him…them, I’ll be like you this dude so bananas. Then I’ll be like damn this story is whacky : P

Okay, after the 2nd paragraph, I was still confused. (Not really, just saying for added emphasis) I also don’t care whether the guy’s an arcade exclusive, timed release or whatever you call “them”. I just want the game, dammit! xD

Valtiel Ikari

I don’t know why, but I got the hunch that he will be the main from persona 5.

하세요

He just doesn’t have protagonist feel to him for me. I can see him being somewhat like a Vegeta of the group or an anti-hero of some sort, but the main character? Nah.

I could be wrong though.

Virevolte

The one who has the faint smile could be the next protagonist to me. I don’t find him much different from Narukami. The uniform and brassard that he wears could be the attire of the next team.

=)

(A sort of military school uniform.)

Valtiel Ikari

well, the idea of themathic of the next persona is “Fight for your freedom” (or something along those lines) so acording to that, he looks like he would fit right in the next persona instalment.

AnotherTime

He’s just wearing the Yasogami uniform, albeit, a bit modified to suit his personal tastes.

Yan Zhao

Yeah, I dont see him pimping up every girl in school and have them all fall head over heels for him like they did to Narukami or P3 Protagonist, lol.

MonkeydogPOZ

I don’t think so, just because the past two protagonists have been of the Fool Arcana and he’s of The Sun.

AnotherTime

Naoya was the Emperor, and Tatsuya was the Sun. They don’t have to have the Fool Arcana to use the Wild Card as a general note. The last two were designed that way because Minato and Yu are both better self inserts than their previous counterparts from Persona 1/2.

MonkeydogPOZ

Yeah, I’m not denying it could be a possibility just that if current trends continue it’s unlikely (especially since Elizabeth ended up being of The Fool as well).

Also it’d just feel weird if the protagonist just was randomly put into this game first.

AnotherTime

You’re very right. I, too, doubt that they’d start off by showing their protagonist in a fighting game for Persona 4…while also wearing the Yasogami uniform. There’s almost zero possibility that he’s the protagonist with such a defined personality right off the bat too.

MrJechgo

That sounds like a major waste of spot. Let me explain:

– Labrys and Shadow Labrys have similar movesets, but they each have a different Persona, making their playstyle unique.

– During arcade and story mode, Labrys didn’t have her Persona yet, so it makes sense that she didn’t have it in battle. This version is also not playable by any mean.

– However, Minazuki doesn’t have a Persona, but is still playable. Labrys with no Persona was really limited in terms of moves since she didn’t have Ariadne, but like I said, this version wasn’t playable at all.

– Minazuki will not have Persona attacks, Persona SP Skills or even an Instant Kill… what’s the point? If he was just a NPC, then it would be ok, but I really question on why he would be playable.

– I really hope that we only end up with 1 Sho, because that would be a major waste of spot if we end up getting a character WITHOUT a Persona to fight with.

Virevolte

Are we sure his Persona isn’t just not announced yet ?

AnotherTime

Completely sure. The arcade version shows it, he has nothing.

James Reilly

It was already discussed. Non Persona Sho is much more agile/rushdown orientated. Having no Persona is not a terrible weakness. For one he doesn’t have to worry about being person broken/silenced/etc. He can already burst/awaken without a persona. Having no Instant Kill is not a significant drawback at all. Persona Sho in contrast is much more versatile with Persona based specials. Sho has two personalities

Strain42

After a bit of research, I can say you’re mostly wrong. Yes, he doesn’t have a Persona, but he was programmed with that handicap in mind. Unlike Labrys sans Persona, Minazuki was given a full move set (supposedly he has ranged attacks in place of his Persona buttons) and is designed to be a fully functional character who just happens to not have a Persona. He can still burst, and apparently he even gets a few advantages other characters don’t such as a dodge mechanic.

The entire point of Minazuki is that he is a character without a Persona who is capable of taking on those that do. He’s not supposed to simply be like when Labrys didn’t have her Persona and be a more useless version of the one we generally play as.

And he’s not “a waste of a character slot” because you have zero proof that if they hadn’t gone with Minazuki that they would have used that spot for someone else.

MrJechgo

“(supposedly he has ranged attacks in place of his Persona buttons)”
This is something that I have yet to see though… because getting no “replacements” for C and D is gonna be a real pain.

Androu1

He has a full moveset, he’s not just like if they took a full character and removed their Persona. Seriously.

Look up some gameplay of him or something. Here’s a combo video, for example:

Look at Sho, his face has an eerie resemblance to Narukami’s and now it’s confirmed that he’s got swag too. COINCIDENCE?

Jonathan Tse

discussions from Japanese players have pretty much said that Persona-less Sho is faster and more of a rushdown/mixup character, while Persona Sho is more balanced in terms of offense/defense. a little weird, but i suppose that’s enough justification for why.

MrJechgo

I’m not talking about that being harder, better, faster and stronger is a bad thing or anything. Minazuki doesn’t have a Persona, thus no C or D moves… what fills the blanks for these here?

Jonathan Tse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ojZ8TKisok his C/D seems to be a parry/dodge mechanic, and i guess he still has C/D specials. not having Persona normals isn’t THAT big of a deal though, especially not for a front-heavy char. Aki’s kinda the same way.

RichyGaming

When I first started out Persona 4 Arena, I couldn’t combo with personas at all until a few weeks or months because I couldn’t get into the game. Later on, I started using Akihiko and was able to play without personas. I think Sho will fit in that kind of category.

Suzaku

Solo Sho was designed so that lacking a Persona would actually be an asset. He was conceived as an “easy-for-beginners” character with sword
skills that can match and exceed the combat ability of a Persona.

Instead of using a Persona, he’s got three different basic attacks on A, B, and C, and a dodge ability on D. Some of his basic attacks have a huge range and can hit multiple times, he’s really fast, his damage output is high, and he’s also got a teleport move.

Dianatos

So Sholo as a sort-or “Drive” mechanic, making him like a BB character that wandered into P4U.

ivanchu77

heh, the same thing they did to Labrys in the last game, it seems they want to make a tradition to give the “newcomer” two versions.

but still, not very excited about this guy, hopefully story mode changes my perception of him

Jonathan Tse

don’t forget about shadow characters, they definitely seem different than EX chars and hopefully competitively viable.

zuuum

The 2 Shos do confused me a little but I still think that Sho is Yu’s shadow.(or something like this) They look similar,fighting with swords,have the same high and eye colour. Not to mention Tsukiyomi looks similar to Izanagi. And I could swear Yu poses like Sho in one of the official art pics.

Is one of the pics showing the Moonlight Bridge? Dark hour? Moon? Tsukiyomi?

DragKudo

Yu doesn’t have a shadow though. Tsukuyomi is izanagi’s most beloved son

personablaze

Hmm, Spoiler below.

To everyone who doesn’t know, the “shadow” characters aren’t really shadows. They are the “Malevolent entity” taking the shape of the other characters. If anyone played P2, then you’ll remember that Nyarlathotep does the same thing to the cast (Making “Shadow” versions of them to taunt them).

So in short, Sho with a “Persona” Isn’t Sho at all, it’s the malevolent entity.

Steven Higgins

Wouldn’t it be that the Minazuki, the one WITHOUT a persona that’s the ME since the “shadow” characters don’t use personas?

personablaze

Nyarlathotep uses “Reverse” personas(Remember in P2?, unless you haven’t played it to which I’d have to apologize for ruining it for you), they are like shadows.

Sho (The normal one) has no persona because he hasn’t faced himself.

Steven Higgins

I haven’t played, but you didn’t ruin it for me. My policy is that if something is over 10 years old, spoilers cease to be spoilers.

Rake

Even so, Persona 2 has major spoilers to the Persona storyline for those who only played P3/P4. Even though people don’t really see it, Atlus is sneaking in P2 stuff into the current Persona games. Although this makes me want to see ”Joker” versions of characters. Joker-possessed characters are more demented and insane~

RablaAndrews

No, because the real Sho isn’t a Persona user.

Warren

I wanna see Sho or Minazuki hit on Yukiko and mess with Yosuke just for the lols and reactions.

colorblindnightmare

this. Much this.

neocatzon

With those blots of ink, Tsukuyomi is like something out from Bleach. For Sho himself, that’s a heck lot of red. Suspicious P5 material.

Warren

Maybe, but if he is a robot or android like people have been saying to me, he may be the male Aigis of P5 and not the MC.

neocatzon

What was the reason for robo-sho?

Warren

The same thing for Aigis, Naoto, and Chie…PLOT DEVICE!

neocatzon

But, but, as a male Sho shouldn’t have any “plot” D:

Crevox

To make this less confusing we’ll call the Sho Minazuki with a katakana name “Sho” and the other one “Minazuki.”